To say this recording got out of control would be putting it mildly. For a start we’re commenting on the re-mastered and Xtended edition of the show and on top of that, we suddenly realised that we don’t really need to abruptly stop the Cast at the end of the episode, and so we went on a bit afterwards. And on. And on. AND FUCKING ON AND ON AND ON. And so, we ended up with a massive block covering all sorts of stuff, not entirely relevant to the episode (FUN GAME: SEE IF YOU CAN SPOT THE EDITS). Anyway, the cut stuff will most likely make it on to another Cast soon as part of a wider discussion on the merits of VII and VIII and the attitudes surrounding it, so look out for that why don’t you.

Until then, I hope you enjoy this hour long Cast, as it could well be the direction we go with future commentaries.

I’m trying to figure out whether I can face listening to this one. I wish my voice made me sound less of a turd. Did you cut me and Tanya practically having a domestic out Capps, or is that in the bit you cut out for later?

> Exactly WHEN after the sixth beep? I can never get them to match up.

Well, usually after the sixth beep has finished and *just* before the talking starts. I can’t think how else to answer that… I mean, I often find with commentaries like this, that I can tolerate a 2-3 second discrepancy, and I think the beeps give you plenty of time to start the episode within that window.

John, yeah I think your ‘discussion’ was cut from this Cast. And you sound fine. Better than me and my fucking soft Rs.

Incidentally, what do people think of this new extended format? Do you like the idea of us going on for another 15-30 minutes after the episode has ended? Do you just want us to shut up after the credits role?

First time I’ve actually downloaded one of the ‘Casts – loved it, now downloading the rest.

I do have a confession to make [backstory mode] – Tikka is probably one of my favourite episodes of Dwarf (*pauses to be hit*). I came slightly late to the Dwarf party, only really discovering it with Series VI and the repeats just prior to that (I didn’t get to see The End until RDNight), so I was more accepting of the shift towards drama-comedy that started in VI and really got hammered home in VII. In addition, VII was the first series I taped off-air, and got to watch more than once, and Tikka was the one I watched most of all. [It’s actually an analogous situation to another of my big fandoms – seaQuest – where the season 2 finale is one of my favourite episodes, because it was one of the few I had on tape, and it’s one of the least-liked in fandom.] Plus, alternate history/timeline stories very much peak my interest.

I’m with Seb in the ‘prefer VII to VIII’ mindframe – so much so that I haven’t watched VIII on DVD since I bought it. VIII depreciated much quicker than VII to me – I kind of liked it on initial viewing, but I didn’t go back to it again much, unlike all of the other series.

On the ‘episode-breaking’ continuity issue: I’ve never seen it that way – for me, the reason why the crew were returned to life wasn’t because the future Dwarfers killed their past selves, but that the time drive was destroyed, which Lister then immediately noted afterwards. (Side note: Seb can probably attest to the fact that I could quote the Lister monologue verbatim – and still can). So, that bit made sense to me – if the battle had just killed the crew without destroying Starbug, the future selves may well have stayed around.

I’m surprise no-one picked up on the use of library music and how that may link to the ‘different approach to Dwarf’ that was discussed throughout the commentary – it gave the episode a much more epic feel, combined with the field removal look, the location filming and the story, to create what felt to me like a mini-movie. Especially the final assassination scene – that Alan Hawkshaw piece sells the emotion much more than the Howard piece we get to hear isolated on the DVD (as much as I love Howard’s stuff).

Wow, long comment. It might even have been longer had I not needed to leave now…

> but that the time drive was destroyed, which Lister then immediately noted afterwards.

This is a very good point. I still think one situation is uncomfortably close to the other, but you’re absolutely right – the ep DOES differentiate the logic of the two with that reference.

Tikka is a favourite of mine, too, and I inevitably disagree that it pales beside the whole of I to VI. I’d much rather watch it(and Stoke, Epideme, BITR and Cassandra…) over The End, Balance of Power, Waiting for God, Camille or Rimmerworld any day.

Splendid ‘cast, guys. Thought I’d hate the ‘Xtended’ format, given the way Krytie TV came out – plenty of sarcasm, not so much with the debate – but this came out with a balaced discussion that deserved to continue after the ep. Maybe too long, but not by much. Good stuff.

>Splendid ?cast, guys. Thought I?d hate the ?Xtended? format, given the way Krytie TV came out – plenty of sarcasm, not so much with the debate – but this came out with a balaced discussion that deserved to continue after the ep. Maybe too long, but not by much. Good stuff.

I did, Seb. Jan ’97 would have been… second year. I don’t think I started until the year after. I’m pretty sure we talked about VIII when that aired, though. Or maybe I’m just remembering random conversations from later on, or from Grease, or Image Press…

> I?d much rather watch it(and Stoke, Epideme, BITR and Cassandra?) over The End, Balance of Power, Waiting for God, Camille or Rimmerworld any day.

With you right up until “Epideme”, there.

> BITR

It’s “BITFuckingR”, call it by its name.

> Do you like the idea of us going on for another 15-30 minutes after the episode has ended? Do you just want us to shut up after the credits role?

I like the fact that the commentary goes on beyond the end of the episode – no need to curtail them unless you’ve run out of things to say, I’d suggest. I disagree that the commentary is possibly a little too long – I think that it runs for a good length, and I’d be happy for a longer one if the situation leads that way. In other words, don’t feel you need to crop back your impulses. Especially when you’re talking about series VII and VIII.

Glad the new format seems to be generally enjoyed. I think, as Tanya’s said, this cast benefitted greatly from the fact that all present were totally sober. I am so delighted with the result, I might go tee-total.

I think the extension of the cast post credits is a good thing. And more of a good thing is a good thing.

I like Tikka To Ride a lot, it was one of those ?event? episodes like Backwards or Psirens. At the time it didn?t disappoint, but looking at it now it looks like the beginning of the end: Cat gurning, Lister?s joke-free eulogising, See Jee Eye & Starbug is 212% larger why exactly?

But the Dallas footage is great, and Chris Barrie?s appearance as the Rimmer we know and loathe for the last time until Series VIII is a sidelined joy (none of his other VII turns are as consistant, ironic since he is the most contant here).

Wrong thread but TV ARK IS BACK!!!!!!!! Albeit with loads of pages saying “still under construction” or thereabouts. I wonder why they’ve needed to be offline for so long, for what I presume amounts to just a simple redesign.

Anway, the main Doctor Who page is refurbished with better quality clips: http://www2.tv-ark.org.uk/cult/cult-whomain.html He’s changed the new series description so it no longer says “flies like f*ck through the vortex!” The TARDIS now only flies like thunder. Which is still quite fast though.

I don’t remember these titles from when the series aired and I’ve not seen them on VHS since, so I always consider them to be less well known than all the others. I can’t decide whether the music is worse than the McCoy theme.

We’ll be recording some more this weekend, since we have a few G&Ters in one place again (including one who’s never been on a commentary before), but I’m not sure if we have any more left in the stockpile – Cappsy’ll be the man to answer that.

But there are still some non-commentary ideas being worked on at the moment, as well…

> but I?m not sure if we have any more left in the stockpile – Cappsy?ll be the man to answer that.

Since saying you had loads you’d already recorded, you’ve put Tikka to Ride up and that’s it. And I gather that one was recorded and edited very soon before you put it online. So what’s happened to all the others?

> But there are still some non-commentary ideas being worked on at the moment, as well?

If they’re anything like that film on the series VII DVD you can rack it back up your arse.

Oh, you’re the same person who’s been dicking about on Wikipedia, deleting mention of the fan films, saying that they were “sixth form” in nature, and claiming that Red Dwarf was a “kids’ show”. You tried the “this is a shared IP address” thing there, as well.

Mmm. Me too. Diversions that remain fascinating no matter how frequently they recur. Who’s performingmonkey again? Not bothered? Well never mind: we’ll check his IP address for you anyway and post the updates here whenever we find out anything new.

Yeah, my original comment about changing names was based on an assumption that all these unregistered comments have been coming from the same person, because they’re so similar in style. I didn’t even think to check the IPs.

That’s bollocks. I’ve bothered to view the wiki discussion where Seb makes IP addresses his only evidence. And there used to be some comment from him in this thread suggesting that *this person* and Paul Gannon have identical views on Danielle Lloyd and that they are therefore the same person (now a removed accusation, presumably just to help give the impression that whoever all this stuff is aimed at is responding to “nothing”). This is never mind the fact you don’t say “could you quit posting under different fucking identities and just stick to the one?” if you’re not certain that these posts are definitely coming from the same IP address.

> because they?re so similar in style.

Bullshit. In that case, I’d suggest that you, Seb, Ian, John and loads of other regular users of this forum must be the same person.

I think partly because Default Name was speaking with Seb and Cappsy, and that Seb brought up wikipedia as part of a petty (and, it would seem, not necessarily accurate) reason for Default Name to bugger off. It’s fairly clear then that to understand what’s going on, you need to view this conversation and the one in wikipedia together. You seem to have joined in since then, so I don’t *know* why this or that discussion would relate to anything you said.

As it turns out, I actually have no idea what has been “caused”, and all I can see from all this is evidence that this place needs to have people registering before they can post. This is just the regulars complaining about people posting with multiple names, and generally grouping together (even when they don’t know what’s going on) in order to attack anonymous posters when they have enough time on their hands. If the moderators don’t limit posting to registration only, then they frankly shouldn’t be complaining.

We didn’t want to limit it to registered posters only – we wanted registration to be an optional thing for people who cared enough. Unfortunately, one or more unregistered persons have started abusing the system by posting under multiple names for various reasons, which is making us reconsider our original plan.

Indeed, Cappsy has made a promise he can’t keep, but this is due to technical circumstances beyond his control – i.e. the fact that his PC that has all the ones we’ve done so far on it is currently deadified.